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WEDNESDAY, JULY 28, 1982
THE ADDITIONAL COST OF THE LARGER EXPANSION PROGRAMMES FOR THE TWO UNIVERSITIES IS ESTIMATED TO BE $330 MILLION FOR CAPITAL PROJECTS, INCLUDING STUDENT HOSTELS, RECURRENT EXPENDITURE IS EXPECTED TO INCREASE FROM $571 MILLION IN THE FINAL YEAR OF THE 1981-84 TRIENNIUM TO $744 MILLION BY 1987-88.
COMMENTING ON THE DEVELOPMENT OF HIGHER EDUCATION BEYOND 1988, THE SPOKESMAN SAID THE GOVERNMENT AND THE UPGC WERE STUDYING THE FURTHER GROWTH POTENTIAL OF THE TWO UNIVERSITIES AND THE POSSIBILITY OF ESTABLISHING A THIRD UNIVERSITY OR ANOTHER MAJOR TERTIARY INSTITUTION.
+THE DELIBERATIONS WILL NEED TO TAKE INTO ACCOUNT, AMONG OTHER THINGS, THE PHYSICAL CONSTRAINTS OF THE EXISTING CAMPUS OF HKU AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF DEGREE COURSES IN TWO POLYTECHNICS AND THE BAPTIST COLLEGE,+ HE ADDED.
MORE PUPILS JOIN SCHOOL MEDICAL SCHEME
****
ONE IN EVERY THREE ELIGIBLE PUPILS BETWEEN PRIMARY ONE AND FORM THREE WAS COVERED BY THE SCHOOL MEDICAL SERVICE SCHEME IN THE LAST FINANCIAL YEAR, A GROWTH OF 18 PER CENT OVER THE YEAR BEFORE.
THE NUMBER OF CHILDREN TAKING PART IN THE HEAVILY-SUBSIDISED SCHEME RUN BY THE SCHOOL MEDICAL SERVICE BOARD, A STATUTORY BODY, REACHED 244 864, IT IS STATED IN THE BOARD'S REPORT, TABLED IN THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL TODAY.
THERE WERE 852 SCHOOLS, REPRESENTING 70 PER CENT OF ALL ELIGIBLE SCHOOLS, AND 232 DOCTORS TAKING PART IN THE SCHOOL-BASED SCHEME WHICH IS DESIGNED TO PROVIDE ECONOMICAL MEDICAL TREATMENT FOR CHILDREN AND IN WHICH PARTICIPATION IS VOLUNTARY.
DOCTORS TAKING PART IN THE SCHEME ARE ALL IN PRIVATE PRACTICE AND RECEIVE $55 A YEAR FOR EACH PUPIL, $5 BEING PAID BY THE CHILD AND $50 BY THE GOVERNMENT, WHICH ALSO PAYS THE ADMINISTRATION COSTS.
THE SCHEME WAS ESTABLISHED IN 1964 WHEN THE SCHOOL MEDICAL SERVICE BOARD WAS CONSTITUTED AS A STATUTORY BODY, IT REQUIRES DOCTORS, WHO APPLY TO JOIN, TO PROVIDE TREATMENT AND MEDICATION FREE OF CHARGE AT THEIR OFFICES DURING NORMAL CONSULTATION HOURS. HOWEVER, THE DOCTOR HAS THE DISCRETION TO ISSUE PRESCRIPTIONS TO BE FILLED AT A PHARMACY, WITH THE COST TO BE BORNE BY THE PATIENT. DURING THE YEAR, SOME 600 000 CONSULTATIONS AND PHYSICAL EXAMINATIONS WERE CARRIED OUT.
THE SCHOOL PRINCIPAL PLAYS THE KEY ROLE IN THE SCHEME, THE REPORT STATES, AS HE IS ASKED TO MAKE KNOWN ITS EXISTENCE, CHOOSE A DOCTOR FOR HIS SCHOOL AND REQUEST AN INITIAL NUMBER OF PARTICIPATION CARDS, EACH OF WHICH WILL BEAR THE NAME OF THE DOCTOR CHOSEN.
FOR THE 1981-82 PERIOD, THE GOVERNMENT SUBVENTION FOR THE SERVICE AMOUNTED TO $11 204 000, WHILE THE ADMINISTRATION FEE WAS $561 000, COMPARED WITH $5 682 000 AND $416 000 RESPECTIVELY IN THE YEAR BEFORE.
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